Rebirth in Action
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) and Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC) are partnering to create artistic activations through artist residency programs, research fellowships, and exhibitions with the mission to share and honor the story of Houston’s Fourth Ward and to establish creative opportunities informed by its legacy and community stakeholders.
Rebirth in Action is a unique collaboration between Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH), Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy (HFTC), the City of Houston, and the renowned artist Theaster Gates. This multi-year initiative, launched in 2022, integrates artists alongside planned infrastructure upgrades to tell the story of freedom and amplify the preexisting dignity of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town.
Freedmen’s Town, a 40-block area west of downtown Houston, is the most significant intact Freedmen’s Town in America. Established in 1865 as the child of Juneteenth, Freedmen’s Town was built by newly free Black people who formed a vibrant community anchored by hand-made brick streets. Today, those same brick streets stand as a testament to the resilience and possibility of Black places. Rebirth in Action, with its core focus on the historical significance of Freedmen’s Town, aims to preserve this singular community, its agency, and heritage for future generations.
The primary project goal is to fully preserve .7 miles of Freedmen’s Town’s historic brick streets and catalyze the ongoing preservation and programming of Freedmen’s Town’s 35 remaining original structures. Rebirth in Action bridges stewardship of the Freedmen’s Town Heritage District and artists’ engagement with a legacy community who have advocated for preserving the brick streets for decades. Preserving these structures and brick streets will advance the community’s revitalization, promote heritage tourism, and celebrate its unique history and culture, ultimately securing a pathway for UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. These benefits extend beyond preservation, making the project a catalyst for mission-based and artist-driven community development and broad cultural appreciation.
CAMHLAB at Freedmen's Town
CAMHLAB at Freedmen’s Town is an onsite artist-in-residency program that aims to highlight, honor, and animate the histories and stories of Freedmen’s Town. Through month-long residencies, the program aims to generate research, contextualize, and connect artists and the general public to the stories of Freedmen’s Town.
Freedmen's Town Residents
If you are a resident of Freedmen’s Town and are looking for information on stakeholder meetings or upcoming skillshare workshops, visit the link below.
Additional Information and Updates
If you have any questions about the project, we would love to hear from you! Please contact Mich Stevenson, Project Manager – Partnerships, CAMH x HFTC at mstevenson@camh.org.
Rebirth in Action Exhibitions and Programs
STAY FREED: Black Archive, Imagery & Collage Making
CAMHLAB
Tay Butler’s project STAY FREED: Black Archive, Imagery & Collage Making will teach visitors how to access brick and mortar institutions and online platforms for Black imagery, scan their own archives, and center their own creativity through collage making.
Theaster Gates: The Gift and The Renege
Current Exhibition
Theaster Gates: The Gift and The Renege presents work by the acclaimed Chicago-based artist, featuring large-scale paintings, sculptures, and installations that highlight the seen and unseen dynamics of Freedmen’s Town in Houston’s Fourth Ward.
UHURU DANCES: Sites of Liberation
CAMHLAB
UHURU DANCES: Sites of Liberation is a site-specific community gathering organized by CAMHLAB artists-in-residence Nia’s Daughters. The gathering will feature a movement workshop and a dance/photography project to commemorate the lives and shared histories of Freedmen’s Town.
Support
Phase 2 of Rebirth in Action is generously supported by the Wagner Foundation.